Well drilling device



May 5, 1953 J. a. ANDREWS. JR

WELL DRILLING DEVICE:

2 SHEETS-SHEET l Filed Aug. 2l 1950 Fig. l

WM Hmm May 5, 1953 J. B. ANDREWS. JR 2,637,527

WELL DRILLING DEVICE Filed'Aug. 21. 195o 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 J6 I .9s

Josep/1 .5. Andrews, Jr.

INVENToR.

MIM HMM:

. I I ||L Patented May 5, 1953 PATENT OFFICE WELL DR'ILLING DEVICE Joseph B. Andrews, jr., Cincinnati, Ohio Application August 21, 1

4"(31aims. (C

The present invention relates to improvements in well drilling apparatus, and more partiouls'trly to the means for supporting the well drilling apparatus Within a well hole without the use or- F well casings. v

An object of the present invention is to pro vide an improved well drilling apparatus that is adapted to be engaged with the inner surfaceof a well hole, with means being provided -ror varying the vertical angularity of the drill shaft.

A further object of the present invention is to' provide an improved arrangement for supp1y ing rotary movement to the drill shaft, novell means also being provided for vertically moving the drill shaft.

Yet another object of the present invention' is to provide a novel iluid actuated means for' positioning the Well drilling apparatus within' a well hole. A

A further object of the present invention islto.. provide a novel indicating means for association with the well drilling apparatus whereby ther angularity of the Well drilling apparatus with respect to the vertical may be ascertained, other means being provided for correcting the posi- 2o tioning of the drill shaft. f f

Various other objects and advantages will be' apparent from the detailed description to fol--y low. In the description as well as in the claims. parts are at times identified by specific names. for convenience, but such nomenclatureA is intended to be as generic in its'.y application to; analogous parts as the prior art will permit My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical plan view of the struc-A ture of the present invention positioned-within--, a well hole with an indicator positionedabove;

the well hole;

Figure 2 is a horiz view taken substantially along the plane of line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line 3-3j in Figure 2; f,

Figure 4 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of lineA 4-.4 of Figure 3; n .1

Fisure 5 is a detail sectional view through the indicating means of the present iriventionv; and

Figure 6 is a horizontal tranvense` st eotipnai`V 50 view taken substantially along the plane of line; Bn-E of Figure 5. 1.

Referring more particularly to the` drawings.; wherein like numerals designate l ikeg .-parts,

throughout, the numeral l0 designates generally' at the tubular housing, t

ontal transverse sectiorrzdv 95o, serial No. 180,655

he numeral l2 designates' generally the drill means rotatably disposed in' the housing lil, the numeral i4 designates generally the means for rotating the drill means, the numeral I6 designates generally the means for vertically moving the drill means, the numeral I8 designates generally the means for supporting the housing within a well hole, the numeral V2t designates generally the adjusting .i means for adjusting the positioning of the housingl with respect to the vertical, and numeral 22 designates generally the indicating means of the present invention.

The tubular housing Iii is comprised of a sublsta'ntially tubular member 24 having a partition wall 26 disposed intermediate its ends, a capI closure` 28 thre'adably mounted on its upper end,l and a drill shaft bearing member 3i] closing its lower end. The tubular housing lil is supported by the eyelet 32, ring 34, and supporting cable 36. The eyelet 3'2 may be either threaded into the cap 28 or Welded as shown.

The well drill means lil of the present inven-4 tion is comprised of a substantially tubular shaft 33 which is reciprocably and rotatably mounted within the opening til in the shaft bearing member 38 and has its upper end rotatably disposed in the bearing threadably secured to the piston head 44. The piston head ifi is recessed at Mi for receiving the annular anged end 43 of the tubular shaft 3e. The inner race 5i) of the b'all'bearing unit 42 is press fitted on the tubular shaft 38 for rotatably supporting the same, the inner race acting as a thrust bearing also. The lower end of the tubular shaft 3S is provided with a tapered exteriorly threaded reduced portion 5'2 which fis threadably received within the drill member 54 which is the upper end of the drill head, indicated generally at 56.

A drilling uid supply conduit 5S is connected to the housing it at the conduit connection El), and the conduit t2 within the housing It is in communication with the conduit 58 terminating at its other end within the tubular shaft 38 whereby the drilling uid may be supplied to the drill endof the drill shaft. An intermediate portion of the conduit (i2 is mounted Within the partition wall 25and held from movement there A byrat 64, AThe substantially rigid portion of'the conduit at @il is disposed through the'piston head 44, a'stuihng box 68 being provided in the piston head M so that reciprocation of the piston head 4.41011 the conduit 5dr/vill be accompanied by sealingengagement with the conduit et.

The means for rotating the drill shaft 38 includes a spur gear 'I0 which is xedly mounted on the exterior of the tubular shaft 38. An electric motor 12 is secured to the piston head 44 by the sprocket and bolts at '14. The electric motor shaft 18 has mounted thereon the gear 18 which is operatively associated with the spur gear for effecting rotation thereof. The means for supplying electrical power to the electric motor 'l2 includes the conduit 80 which extends from the surface of the earth downwardly, terminating at 82 in the housing |0. As seen best in Figures 3 and 4, it will be seen that the tubular housing I0 is provided with a longitudinally extending recess 84 in which are mounted a pair of contact bars 86 and 88 which are insulated from each other by the insulating mounting material 90 within the recess 84. It will readily be seen that movement of the piston head 44 downwardly, accompanied"v by movement of the electric motor 12, willnot interfere with the completion of the electric circuit, since contact points 92 and 94 extending from the motor 'i2 are always in contact with the vertically extending bars 86 and 88 for supplying power to the motor. l

The means for vertically moving the well drill shaft 38 includes the piston head 44 which is reciprocably mounted within the tubular housing |0 and is provided with sealing rings 98 for engagement with the inner surface of the tubular housing I0. A fluid pressure supply conduit 98 terminates at the connector |00 disposed in the cap 28 on the housing l0, and a substantially rigid conduit |02 extends from the connector |00 to the partition wall 26, whereby uid may be supplied within the chamber |04 above the piston 44 for effecting downward movement of the piston head 44, which will, of necessity, be accompanied by downward movement of the drill shaft 38.

The means for supporting the housing within the well hole H includes a plurality of longitudinally extending surface-engaging members |06, |08, ||0 and H2 which are provided with up wardly turned ends H4. Each of these wall engaging members is provided with inwardly extending piston rods I6 which are reciprocably disposed within the piston cylinders H8 which are threadably mounted within the housing I0. A pair of kthe cylinders H8 are provided for each wall engaging member and are disposed adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof. A main fluid' conduit supply |22 is comprised of a plurality of individual supply conduits designated generally at |24 which are adapted to be individually c onnected to the piston cylinders H8 on the back side of the piston rods H6, whereby fluid pressure supplied to the cylinders will effect outward movement of the wall engaging members |06 through H2. l the pressure is relieved from the conduits |24 the entire mechanism may be lifted from the well hole, since the well engaging members will not be pressed against the inner surface of the well hole.

As seen best in Figure 5, the indicating means of the present invention includes a casing |26 which is of cup shape and has an upper closure cover |28 threadably mounted thereon, with screws |30 adapted to be threaded into the cap 28 of the housing l0 for mounting of the casing |28. A ball socket |32 is centrally disposed within the cover |28 and has swingably mounted therein the pendulum |34. An electrical conductor |36 is connected to the upper end of the pendulum |34 and passes through a bushing |38 in the casing |26 and a bushing 39 in the tubular hous- It should be noted that when,

ing 24, passing upwardly to the surface of the ground to the indicator at |40. Secured within the casing |26 is the curved plate |42 having a plurality of spaced contact points |44. Each of the contact points |44 is provided with an individual conductor |46 which are assembled into a single conduit |48 passing to the surface of the ground for connection to the indicator |40. It will readily be seen that when the housing l0 of the Well drilling means of the present invention is disposed within the well hole H, the relationship between the housing |0 and the vertical will be indicated by means of the contact between the pendulum |34 and one of the contact points From the foregoing description, taken in'con-il junction with the drawings, it is believed thatone skilled in the art will readily understand the operation, and further detailed description at this point is deemed unnecessary. When the housing |0 has been lowered into the well hole H, iluid pressure is applied to the cylinders H8,

causing the wall engaging members to engagev with the surface of the interior of the well hole,v

securing the housing |0 within the hole. An examination of the indicator at |40, combined withy operation of control valves for the supply conduit |24; will permit adjustment of the housing |0 until the desired degree of correct positioning of the'housing is accomplished. The drill shaft may then be lowered to ground engaging position and' the electric motor '|2 may then be actuated for drilling while the iiuid supply conduit 58 supplies drilling fiuid to the drill head.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of vmy device without departing from the real spirit and purposey of my invention, and it is my intention to f cover by my claims any modified forms or strucf ture or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope without sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A Awell digging device comprising a tubular housing `closed at its upper end and having a drill shaft bearing bore at its lower end, a drill:

shaft rotatably disposed in said housing and downwardly movable through said bore, a motor' enclosed in said housing at one side of said shaft and operatively connected thereto for rotating 1 said shaft, means for moving said shaft and said;

motor downwardly, and remote control fluidv pressure responsive means for supporting said housing within a well hole, and adjusting the',

housing with respect to the vertical.

'2. A well digging device comprising a tubular housing closed at its upper end and having a drillvv shaft bearing bore at its lower end, a drill shaft lrotatably disposed vin said housing and movable downwardly through said bore, rst means vfor rotating said shaft, and second means for moving said shaft downwardly, said rst means including an electric motor enclosed in said housing at one side of said shaft and movable downwardly iii-said housing by said second means, electric'I supply means for said motor including conducting wires terminating in said housing, alpair of vertically disposed opdllting bars xed in said housing and connected to said wires, said motor having means slidably engaging said bars and completing a, circuit with said bars to said motor.

said last means including a conduit fixed to the upper end of said housing,r and slidably extending through said piston into said shaft.

3. A well drilling device comprising a tubular housing closed at its upper end, a piston working in said housing, a hollow drill shaft rotatably suspended from said piston for downward movement thereby during rotation thereof, a motor JOSEPH B. ANDREWS, JR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date enclosed 1n said housing and suspended by an upper end thereof from said piston at one side 10 478,791 Gardlel' $71115 12, 1392 of the shaft with gearing between its lower end 840,148 Marnott Jan- 1, 1907 and the shaft for downward movement by said 1'315422 Roberson Sept' 9 1919 piston with said shaft to rotate the shaft during 1411896 Anschutz'Kaempfe Ap'- 4 1922 downward movement of the shaft, means for` in- 868833 Hester Ju1y 26, 1932 troducing hydraulic pressure into said housing 15 1921909 Hoar Mal'- 12, 1940 above said pisltori to move tlllie same dgwnwardly FOREIGN PATENTS means for in ro ucing dri ing liqui in o sai shaft during downward movement and rotation Nulem Gregglin M Dfel 918 thereof, and means for supporting the housing 3171663 Germany *i Jaag 8 1920 1n aa Well hole. Germany Jan. 20

4. A well drilling device according to claim 3, 

